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Small community solar thermal power experiment. Parabolic dish technology for industrial process heat application. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6246949
Aspects of incorporating a thermal energy transport system (ETS) into a field of parabolic dish collectors for industrial process heat (IPH) applications were investigated. Specific objectives are to: (1) verify the mathematical optimization of pipe diameters and insulation thicknesses calculated by a computer code (2) verify the cost model for pipe network costs using conventional pipe network construction (3) develop a design and the associated production costs for incorporating risers and downcomers on a low cost concentrator (LCC) (4) investigate the cost reduction of using unconventional pipe construction technology. The pipe network design and costs for a particular IPH application, specifically solar thermally enhanced oil recovery (STEOR) are analyzed. The application involves the hybrid operation of a solar powered steam generator in conjunction with a steam generator using fossil fuels to generate STEOR steam for wells. It is concluded that the STEOR application provides a baseline pipe network geometry used for optimization studies of pipe diameter and insulation thickness, and for development of comparative cost data, and operating parameters for the design of riser/downcomer modifications to the low cost concentrator.
Research Organization:
Ford Aerospace and Communications Corp., Newport Beach, CA (USA); Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6246949
Report Number(s):
N-8226784; NASA-CR-169061
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English